Yorkshire Artspace

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Yorkshire Artspace Established in 1977, Yorkshire artspace provides quality, affordable studio space for over 160 Sheffield based creatives.

In 2001 we moved to our first purpose built building, Persistence Works. Designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Architects, Persistence Works has won a RIBA Award, a RIBA Yorkshire White Rose Award and a Civic Trust Award Commendation. The building was also a finalist in the Prime Ministers’ Better Public Building Awards in 2002. In 2010, we expanded our workspace provision with four brand new purpose built, eco-designed studios at Manor Oaks. Designed by Michael Brooke Architecture and developed in partnership with Green Estate, the studios have green ‘living’ roofs and is accessed through a Chelsea award-winning garden. In 2012 we took on Exchange Place, a stunning Art Deco building in the historic Castlegate area of Sheffield City Centre with more than 60 studios spaces located over six floors,

LAST CHANCE! This is the final week of the Contemporary British Painting Prize exhibition at Persistence Works. We’re op...
14/10/2026

LAST CHANCE!

This is the final week of the Contemporary British Painting Prize exhibition at Persistence Works. We’re open Thu—Sat, 12.00–17.00, and then the exhibition travels to Thames-Side Studios in London.

Organised “by painters, for painters”, the prize aims to showcase the best painting currently being produced in the UK. The 15 shortlisted artists were selected from over 1200 applications from across the country.

Don’t miss it!

Yesterday our Feedback crit group celebrated its milestone 50th session, meeting to see and discuss the developing work ...
08/10/2026

Yesterday our Feedback crit group celebrated its milestone 50th session, meeting to see and discuss the developing work of Maud Haya-Baviera and Luca M. To date, Feedback has created over 100 opportunities for artists to share their developing work with a supportive and critically-engaged peer group.

Launched in 2019 and now meeting monthly, each crit sees two artists share their work. Asking the presenting artist to remain silent while their work is discussed, the format provides an opportunity to observe how it is received and listen to the exchanges it inspires without background information. Sessions are usually followed by a trip to the pub to reflect on the crit and connect with fellow artists.

We want to thank all the artists who have taken part in the crit group for making these sessions so engaging and valuable. And if you haven’t attended before, we’d love you to join us — drop us a DM or email [email protected] for more information.

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“Valuable and unpretentious discussions about our work which have become a really important part of my practice and mental wellbeing… they have allowed me to develop a strong and nurturing art community in Sheffield.”

“The format is really beneficial for artists who want to gain more insight about how their artworks are being read and interpreted by their audience. I thoroughly enjoyed it, felt supported and took away a lot of feedback. A fantastic and invaluable framework of support in Sheffield.”

“It helped me gain confidence in a body of work I had been doubting, and the conversations opened up new perspectives from people I didn’t know [but who] I now consider to be my peers. Conversations about practice are so important, and this is clearly a unique, recognised and much-valued opportunity, for both the artists presenting and those attending.”

“This was a very unique experience… I got exactly what I needed from the crit. The experience of this group is excellent and I can tell that this comes from years of practice. How this group has developed and the way they are able to communicate with the artist and each other is something really special and I really benefitted from their expertise.”

The Contemporary British Painting Prize exhibition is open again this week (Thu-Sat 12.00–17.00) at Persistence Works. T...
08/10/2026

The Contemporary British Painting Prize exhibition is open again this week (Thu-Sat 12.00–17.00) at Persistence Works. The exhibition brings together 15 artists selected from over 1200 applications, aiming to showcase the best painting currently being produced in the UK.

Three featured works by artist Gwen Evans (in order: 1. Vow, 2. Checkpoint, 3. Threshold, all 2025) impressed us with their inscrutability and atmosphere of disquiet, as well as their technique and confidence. Evans conjured a complete world that kept us talking and speculating in front of the canvases.

We are therefore delighted to have presented Evans with the inaugural YAS Exhibition Award. She will present a solo exhibition at Persistence Works in Spring 2027 — we think it will be really special and we can’t wait to share it with you.



For now, visit the CBP Prize exhibition to get a flavour of what to expect and discover the work of 14 other brilliant painters, including winner and highly commended . 👏👏👏

The exhibition continues until 17 October.

Join us for two Open Days with Testing Ground artist-in-residence Maud Haya-Baviera. Maud has spent the first half of he...
01/10/2026

Join us for two Open Days with Testing Ground artist-in-residence Maud Haya-Baviera.

Maud has spent the first half of her residency thinking about Sheffield’s ancient woodlands and the medieval castle remains behind Exchange Place. Experimenting with a wide range of materials including ceramics, concrete, bronze, photography, printmaking and more, Maud has drawn from the aesthetics of coppicing, pollarding, and the city’s buried ecological histories to create new work that feels surreal and archaeological.

Drop in at Exchange Place on Sat 3 Oct and Sat 10 Oct, 12.00–17.00, for a chance to see the work she has been developing and discuss it with the artist.

Please note that the crit on Wed 7 Oct is fully booked, so these open days will be your only opportunity to see the works-in-progress before the closing event on Fri 30 Oct. We hope to see you there!

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OPEN DAYS:
Sat 3 & Sat 10 Oct
12.00–17.00

CRIT:
Maud Haya-Baviera & Luca M
Wed 7 Oct, 16.00–17.30
Booking essential

CLOSING EVENT
Friday 30 Oct
17.00–19.00

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Arts Council England

Work here and you join one of the largest creative communities in the UK.Our studios span two very different buildings: ...
25/09/2026

Work here and you join one of the largest creative communities in the UK.

Our studios span two very different buildings: Persistence Works is purpose-built for production, supporting hot works and light-industrial processes, while Exchange Place, a former Art Deco department store, offers flexible spaces suited to lighter and more experimental forms of art.

We currently have a handful of spaces available at both buildings, including a rare opportunity to take on a Ground Floor studio at Persistence Works.

If you can imagine yourself working in any of these spaces, head to the link in our bio to read through our studio criteria and submit an expression of interest. We’ll be in touch.

Work here and you join one of the largest creative communities in the UK.Our studios span two very different buildings: ...
25/09/2026

Work here and you join one of the largest creative communities in the UK.

Our studios span two very different buildings: Persistence Works is purpose-built for production, supporting hot works and light-industrial processes. Exchange Place, a former Art Deco department store, offers flexible spaces suited to lighter and more experimental forms of art.

Studios range from 100 to 800 square feet, and come with the freedom, infrastructure and support that artists and makers need to sustain ambitious work.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Persistence Works last week to celebrate the opening of the Contemporary British ...
24/09/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Persistence Works last week to celebrate the opening of the Contemporary British Painting Prize exhibition.

The exhibition continues until 17 October, Thu-Sat, 12-5pm. Organised “by painters, for painters”, the prize exhibition showcases a shortlist of 15 artists selected from over 1200 applications from across the country.

Congratulations to all the artists exhibiting in this year’s exhibition. You made the task of selecting the awardees both a challenge and a pleasure for the judging panel (Katherine Lloyd, Georgina Kettlewell, and Ryan Mosley).

➡️ Swipe to reveal the winners and hear about how the panel reached their decisions…

🏆🎉 Contemporary British Painting Prize Winner: Ben Sadler

💬 The judges said:
“Ben Sadler’s paintings were irresistible. These small-scale works drew us from across the room, offering glimpses of a private daily existence that are familiar to us all, while celebrating the pleasure of painting itself. What captivated us all was the way these familiar subjects, a cat, a tree, a figure, are transformed through Ben’s economical yet generous use of paint into something quietly mysterious and full of heart. Ben’s paintings invited many questions rather than answers, leaving us wanting to see more of his world. It’s the questions that come from looking and the possibilities of those answers.”

Ben Sadler will receive a cash prize of £8,000 (generously donated by the Ken Kliff Estate), a catalogue essay written by Georgina Kettlewell, and membership of CBP. He will also be a selector for the next edition of the Prize in 2028.

👏👏👏

🏅🎉 Highly Commended: Christopher Cook

💬 The judges said:
“We loved the surfaces and the mystery of Christopher Cook’s intricate and intriguing paintings. The more time we spent with these works the more we were rewarded. All rendered in matte graphite black and ethereal white, we got pleasurably lost in the textures, details and mark-making.”

Christopher Cook receives a cash prize of £2,000.

👏👏👏

Many congratulations also to Pippa Gatty and Melanie Guatelli for winning the Judith Tucker Memorial Prize, receiving £3,000 and

The Contemporary British Painting Prize returns to YAS next week, aiming to showcase the best painting currently being p...
10/09/2026

The Contemporary British Painting Prize returns to YAS next week, aiming to showcase the best painting currently being produced in the UK.

Organised “by painters, for painters”, the prize exhibition showcases a shortlist of 15 artists selected from over 1200 applications from across the country.

The featured artists are Andrew Bryant, Christopher Cook, Gwen Evans, Pippa Gatty, Mathew Gibson, Caroline Gorick, Melanie Guatelli, Christopher Hanlon, Jinyong Park, Ben Sadler, Katy Shepherd, Robert Sherratt, Michelle Ussher, Haijie Wang, and Kate Wilson.

Together, these artists present a rich cross-section of contemporary painting, highlighting the diversity, ambition and quality of current practice in the UK.

Join us for the Launch Event on Saturday 19 Sep, 14.00–18.00, where the prize winners will be announced. We are especially excited to select the recipient of the inaugural YAS Exhibition Award, with the winner being offered a solo exhibition at Persistence Works in Spring 2027. Good luck to all the fantastic painters!

Drinks at the bar, plus food served by Sunshine Pizza Oven. Let’s have a party!

Image:

Are you an early-career ceramicist looking for access to an affordable, fully-equipped studio to help you develop your b...
10/09/2026

Are you an early-career ceramicist looking for access to an affordable, fully-equipped studio to help you develop your business?

We have a place available in our Clay Space facility from 1 November. Clay Space residents have 24/7 access to the communal studio, which includes open use of three electric kilns, potters’ wheel, extruder, and more. The offer is for a maximum of three years.

Joining Clay Space makes you a part of a vibrant, experienced and highly skilled ceramics community. It provides the space, facilities, networks, and support to help you develop your work and transition into professional practice in an independent studio.

The successful applicant will join current Clay Space residents George Baggaley, Jack , and Quay Tran. The cost is £175 per month inclusive of all bills and electric kiln firings.

More info & application form at the link in our bio. Share with your potter friends or tag them in the comments!

Application deadline: 9am on Monday 5 October.

Address

Persistence Works, 21 Brown Street
Sheffield
S12BS

Telephone

+441142761769

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